1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to gaming machines, and more particularly to gaming machines such as a slot machine, a “Pachi-Slo,” a video poker, or the like that have a variable display for displaying image information representative of a plurality of symbols necessary for a game and a controller such as a microcomputer for controlling the variation action of the variable display.
2. Description of the Related Art
A gaming machine such as a slot machine or a “Pachi-Slo” usually has a mechanical variable display formed of rotatable display elements that are provided with a plurality of symbols disposed on peripheral surfaces thereof. The symbols are visible through a display window at the front of the slot machine. Alternatively, an electrical variable display is formed of indicating elements with symbols on a display screen. In response to a “start” operation by a player, a controller drives the variable display to start the rotation of each rotatable display element and to stop the rotation of each rotatable display element in a determined sequence automatically after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, or in response to initiation of a “stop” operation by the player. When the rotation of all of the rotatable display elements has ceased, there is shown a specific combination of symbols (winning pattern) in the display window. The player is then given an award by paying out gaming medium such as coins.
In a popular model of a slot machine, a “win” corresponding to a predetermined plurality of winning symbols being completely positioned on the winning line of the display when rotation of the rotatable display elements ceases occurs only when a win has been established by a system internal to the gaming machine. In a practical machine, this happens when a sampling operation of a random number issued by a microcomputer has been determined to constitute a win.
However, because a result (i.e., win or loss) of the game is determined by an internal procedure of the gaming machine, the skill of the player is not reflected in the game result and the game itself becomes monotonous. As the result, there is a problem that the player tends to tire and loses interest in playing another game.
One known approach to alleviating the aforementioned problem of the gaming machine is to provide a gaming machine having a variable display and a further display, which such as a liquid crystal display or the like, by which a secondary game that is different from the principal game by the reels is played. One known approach employs a virtual race game wherein three kinds of special symbols are established for the principal game and three kinds of secondary images corresponding to the three kinds of special symbols, respectively, are established for the secondary game. Whenever one of the special symbols stands on a winning line, the secondary image corresponding to that special symbol is moved on the liquid crystal display whereby it competes with the other secondary images. That is, the frequency of appearance of each special symbol causes its corresponding secondary image to move along the further display at a corresponding rate. The secondary images appear therefore to race, and when one of the secondary images reaches a predetermined position, the player wins an award.
In the known gaming machine described hereinabove, however, the secondary game proceeds simply when a special symbol of the principal game stands on the winning line. In other words, the secondary game proceeds with no relation to the result of the principal game. Accordingly, when a player endeavors to win the principal game, i.e., by the rotatable reels, the secondary game oftentimes proceeds without being noticed by the player. The player therefore does not achieve a sense of relationship between the principal game and the secondary game, and the player's enthusiasm to play to the gaming machine is not raised.